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Levels of Prayer

Given the responsibilities and distractions, temptations and deceptions of modern life all vying the for attention of today’s believers, a dwindling minority are willing to invest the kind of time and energy in prayer (or any spiritual discipline) the Bible promises to reward. Rather, based on a misunderstanding of the unconditional love and acceptance of God, most presume that simply tossing up a prayer now and then is sufficient.

1. Wishful Thinking: This introductory style of prayer is largely spontaneous and unspoken. It knows little of Scripture or spiritual experience. Disappointment in this arena accounts for billions prematurely deciding Biblical authority and faith is unreasonable thus marking both the beginning and end of their pursuit of answering life’s ultimate questions.
2. Prayer On the Go: The next incremental investment for most of Churchianity might loosely be described “phoning it in.” Nearly synonymous with “windshield time” it’s basically little more than wishful thinking expressed in few words.
3. Stopping For Prayer: Hundreds of millions recognize the need to at least treat God with the respect of a stranger. Rather than merely tossing out a daydream on the run, these pause for at least a moment now and then, tossing a prayer heaven’s way in hopes it will stick. Unfortunately, this may exceed the commitment level of the average modern Christian.
4. Attaching A Scripture: Those interested enough to admit septs 1-3 rarely work often try increasing their odds by adding a “cherry picked” Bible promise. Unfortunately the the vast majority of Christians are not only basically prayerless (stopping to pray less than 5-10 minutes a day) but Biblically illiterate (unable to quote, much less understand and apply even 5-10 verses in a row). Overwhelmingly, most adding a Scriptural promise to ill informed prayers do so with little or no concern as to the corresponding conditions of such passages.
5. Occasional Intercession: The next common waypoint along the path of developing a committed prayer life is the occasional investment of 30 minutes or so practicing the art of intercession. When answers are more miss than hit, believers are left with 3 options. (1) Give up. Some go so far as to create mistaken doctrines like “cessation” to support spiritual failures. (2) Pretend. The favored choice of hundreds of millions, charismatic or not. (3) Seek God’s face through the study of Scripture - see step #3 of God’s true 4 spiritual laws below.
6. If My People: God’s perfect plan for repentance is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Those putting this simple algebraic formula to practice soon develop the spiritual insight to become prophetic Christians on their way to judging all things.
7. Scheduled Intercession: Upping the ante can be done individually or collectively. Nevertheless, as with nearly all Christian disciplines, efforts are far more effective when done in concert. Note: Corporate meetings should reflect a quality and quantity of prayer indicative of the difficulties being addressed!
8. Sanctification: Devotees interested in learning to pray effectually soon feel the need for growth in radical personal and corporate sanctification and discipleship.
9. Pressing In: When prayer still largely goes unanswered, the committed “soldier on” through triple fasting (food, prayer and good deeds).
10. Praying Through: When all is said and done, those refusing to take no for an answer redouble their efforts with semi-weekly if not daily extended times of practicing 1 or more of the 7 prayer modes listed above. Prayer warriors in every sense of the word, such rare men and women give God no rest, day and night, until they and those for whom they pray are demonstrably filled with both the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are committed to travailing in prayer to the point of prevailing with men and circumstances, Satan and God.